Loose leaf binder



June 18, 1940. Q Q TRUSSELL 2,204,918

LOOSE LEAF BINDER CLARENCE Q TRUSSELL INVENTOR BY ATT RNEY June 18,1940. c. D. TRussELL.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. l0, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CL4/@ENCE 0.TUSSELL NVENTOR BY AT ORNEY Patented June 18, 1940 uns!) srs-rs orties2,204,918 LOOSE LEAF BINDER Clarence D. Trussell, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.,assignor to Trussell Manufacturing Company, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.,

a corporation of New York Application November 10, 1938, Serial No.239,792

5 Claims.

or in any way interfering with the plates.

particular disclosure, all and broad scope of the changed as regardsthis within the true intent claims.

Fig. l is a plan View of a complete loose leaf binder metalincorporating features of the invention, showing the rings in closedposition.

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged broken longitudinal sectional views showingthe parts respectively in the ring closed and ring open positions.

Figs. 4 and 5 are crosssectional details on lines ll-il and 5-5 of Fig.2, illustrating relation of the ring closing trigger and the ringopening trigger respectively in the ring closed condition of the binder.k

Figs. 6 and '7 are similar views on lines 6 6 andi- 1, Fig. 3, showingthe same parts in the ring open position of the binder.

Fig. 8 is 'a perspective View of the ring closing trigger or lever. l

The binder illustrated consists in general of a spring back plate I l),having inturned edges II, forming channels in Which are engaged theouter edges of the toggle plates I2, carrying the companion ringelements, hooks or prongs I3, the latter operating up through slotsIll,` in they edges of cover plate l5, which is closed down about theedges of the back plateat I6.

The ring opening trigger is designated II, at the right hand end of thebinder metal, Figs. l, 2 and 3 and the ring closing trigger isdesignated I8, at. the opposite left, handv end of the structure. Theexposedxportionsiof the.- two; trig- (Cl. L29-24) gers, for the sake ofsymmetry may be alike as indicated in Fig. l, or if desired,particularly for provide a smooth top lever portion with substantiallyparallel sides I9.

The ring opening trigger I1 is shown as having in the end of the toggleplates, between the end lugs or tongues 23. having a deeper notch 26, at,the folded portions of the lever forward of the cross bar 2|.

movement of the trigger, will prevent the trigger .from dropping back oithe end of the plates.

closed and the toggle plates 25., 2S, in the end of the toggle platesprovide clearance, enabling these plates to rock upwardly from Vthelowermost (Fig. 5) to the uppermost positions (Fig. 7) even rthough thecross bar of the trigger actually rocks at 22, over the upper outer edgeportions of the plates. Thus while the trigger is supported on top ofthe plates, the clearancenotchesin the ends ofr theplates enable 2 thelatter to swing freely up and down past end of the trigger.

The ring closing trigger I8, like the opening trigger l1, is simplyloosely engaged over the ends of the toggle plates and has portionsengaging the edge and intermediate portions of the plates at oppositesides of the same. The parts which engage the edge portions of theplates however, engage them at the underside and the parts engaging theintermediate portions of the plates engage them at the upper side, thusto enable such closer to rock the adjoining edge portions of the platesdownwardly in the ring closing direction.

In the form here shown, the substantially parallel sides I9 of theclosing trigger are arched at 29, to oveistand the reduced width tongueportions 30, on the ends of the toggle plates, the sides 3|, of sucharch projecting downwardly through the slots or notches 32, in the endsof the plates and carrying at the forward end of the trigger lateralextensions 33, engaging beneath the edge tongues 34 of the plates.rIhese sides of the arch also carry at an intermediate point in thelength of the trigger, the inwardly struck lugs 35, which engage beneaththe end tongues 3U, on the central portions of the plates, thus toenable the plates to retract this lever as they move downward in thering closing direction.

The closing trigger, like the opening trigger, is not caught or securedto the plates, but is merely held loosely engaged over the ends of theplates by having the folded down sides of the same operate loosely in aconfining and guiding slot 36 in the cover plate i5.

In the closed position of the rings with the toggle plates rockeddownwardly, the closer is in the lowered position, Figs. 2 and 4. Whenthe openei` rocks the plates upwardly, the center tongues 3l), engagethe underside of the arch 29, which may be inclined as indicated in Fig.8, thus to lift the closer to the upstanding inclined position shown inFig. 3. In this raised relation, the closer indicates by its positionthat this is the trigger to be depressed to effect closing of the rings.Downward pressure on this raised trigger causes it to rock on lugs 33,against the under edge portions 32, of the plates and to press with lugs31, back of the inclined arch 29, downward on the central tongueportions 3i) of the plates, thereby to rock the plates downwardly andclose the rings.

The toggle plates or bars, except for notches in the ends of the same,may be of the usual construction. The trigger levers are assembled byinserting the handle portions up through the guide slots 23, 3S, in thecover plate and then placing the cover over the toggle plates, so thatthe levers will drop endwise into the notches in the ends of the plates,with the transversely projecting lugs 22 and 33, engaging over andunderneath the edge portions of the plates and intermediate lugs orhooks 21, 35, engaging beneath the central portions of the plates. Thecover can then be flanged down about the back plate to retain the partsin such relation. This method of simply engaging the triggers endwiseover the plates simplifies assemblage and leaves the ring carryingplates free to quickly snap open and closed with slight pressure on thetriggers. The triggers in this construction need not extend beyond theends of the cover plate and hence need not add any to the overalldimensions of the ring metal.

Desirable leverage for the the closer is provided in the illustration bythe two lugs 31, projecting downwardly from the folded sides, spacedback from the pivoting axis 33, at the forward end of the trigger andlocated to engage the plates close to the meeting edges of the same.Lugs 38 dependent from the folded sides, in back of these closing lugsact as abutments, in the upraised position of the trigger to hold itconfined in the guide slots.

What is claimed is:

1. A ring metal for loose leaf binders, comprising cooperating springtensioned toggle plates having open notches in the intermediate portionof the same at one end of the metal, a closer having an arched portionoverstanding the intermediate edge portions of said plates and downwardextensions disposed in said notches, laterally projecting lugs on saiddownward extensions engaging beneath said plates at the outer edgeportions of the same and a cover plate having a slot above said notchedportions of the toggle plates, said closer having an operating leverportion above said cover plate and a dependent portion loosely confinedin said slot.

2. A ring metal for loose leaf binders, coinprising cooperating springtensioned toggle plates having open notches in the intermediate portionof the same at one end of the metal, a closer having an arched portionoverstanding the intermediate edge portions of said plates and downwardextensions disposed in said notches, laterally projecting lugs on saiddownward extensions engaging beneath said plates at the outer edgeportions o1. the same and a cover plate having a slot above said notchedportions of the toggle plates, said closer having an operating leverportion above said cover plate, and a dependent portion loosely confinedin said slot, said arched portion of said closer being inclined relativeto the longitudinal extent of the lever portion.

3. A ring metal for loose leaf binders, comprising cooperating springtensioned toggle plates having open notches in the intermediate portionof the same at one end of the metal, a closer having an arched portionoverstanding the intermediate edge portions of said plates and downwardextensions disposed in said notches, laterally projecting lugs on saiddownward extensions engaging beneath said plates at the outer edgeportions of the same above said notched portions of the toggle plates,said closer having an operating lever portion above said cover plate anda dependent portion loosely confined in said slot, said downwardextensions of the arched portion having inwardly projecting lugsengaging beneath the intermediate portions of said toggle plates.

4. In a loose leaf binder, cooperating ring carrying toggle plateshaving open slots in the ends of the same at one end of the binder, acloser having an intermediate arched portion over the intermediate endportions of said plates and extensions disposed in said slots andengaged beneath the plates at the outer edges of the latter, dependentlugs at the rear of the arched portion engageable with the opposing edgeportions of the plates at a point removed longitudinally of the binderfrom the line of engagement with the outer edge portions of the platesand a cover over said toggle plates having a slot through which thecloser projects and by which said closer is rockingly held engaged asdescribed with said slotted end portions of said plates.

5. A binder comprising cooperating prong carrying toggle plates havingopen notches in the and a cover plate having a slot portions of thetoggle plates beyond the notches faces of said toggle plates, said coverhaving a therein at one face of said toggle plates, relativeslottherethrough in line with said arched porly closely spaced lugs on thesides of said arched tion of the lever and said arched portionextendportion spaced away from the more Widely seping loosely throughsaid slot and whereby said 10 arated lugs longitudinally of the leverand bearlever is rockingly conned in position with said ing on theadjoining edge portions of the toggle arched portion so entered in thenotched ends plates at the opposie face of said toggle plates, oi saidtoggle plates.

whereby pressure-on the handle end of said lever CLARENCE D. 'IRUSSELL

